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I still cannot buy this. Perhaps the 9 of 10 remaining first class year of the 40 who originally wanted it, yes. Pilot billets are normally in the three hundred range and go down into the 800s, from what I understand. With eye surgery, it is almost a guarantee. But as advice for the high school candidate, I see it as 25% or so for Medical Corps and almost 100% for aviation.</p>
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One can only wonder how this student would have faired IF they did not have the other components and responsibilities associated with a USNA curriculum and REQUIRED demands on their time. Perhaps, without those added pressures, their GPA would be more competitive in the bigger pool of med-school applicants, which is the point many have raised. Again, if med-school is the goal, it would stand to reason one would be better served to give themselves the best advantage possible to prep for it.
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<p>No doubt about it - if a student would find the rigors of academy life a hindrance to preparing himself for medical school - he should not attend the academy. </p>
<p>But that is exactly the type of thing that a medical school admissions board would understand, appreciate, and respect.</p>
<p>I think that the best way to approach it is this: There is nothing wrong with going to the Naval Academy with your primary goal being getting into the Medical Corps, as long you are willing to acceptable an alternative service selection.</p>
<p>I think you’d have to say the same thing about an NROTC midshipman pursuing the Medical Corps.</p>
<p>Sure - the Naval Academy is more difficult than most civilian universities. But, like I said before, in some ways it offers less distractions and less opportunities to jump of the track.</p>
<p>During my years at the academy, I know that I never missed studying for a big exam because I attended some big frat party. Nor was I ever recovering from a hangover on Monday morning. Nor did I have any difficulty finding a peaceful environment conducive to studying.</p>
<p>This past summer, I ran into a 2/C midshipman who was at the Academy for the sole purpose of preparing for his MCAT. I think the Naval Academy is not as hostile to those who are seriously pursuing the Medical Corps.</p>
<p>There has been some mention in this thread about the Naval Academy not permitting a midshipman to interview for med school. Really? I seriously doubt that they will deny him that opportunity.</p>
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<p>No, you’re looking at the OVERALL population of midshipmen. Of course it’s easier to get a pilot slot than a Medical Corps slot. The same can be said about several of the other service selections options, as well.</p>
<p>Instead of looking at the OVERALL population; let’s just look at those first class midshipmen who go into service selection with “Air” as their #1 choice. A certain percentage will get that choice. A certain percentage will not.</p>
<p>Now, let’s look at only the number of first class midshipmen who go into service selection with “Medical Corps” as their #1 choice. I’ll bet a higher percentage get that choice.</p>
<p>By this time, the self elimination process has already played itself out. Nobody is going to put “Medical Corps” as their #1 choice with a 2.9 GPA, as a Political Science major, who has never taken the MCAT’s, or even applied to a medical school. Consequently, those with it as their #1 choice are, in all likelihood, very qualified.</p>
<p>For the most part, on a whim, a midshipmen can put “Air” as their #1 choice and there really are no requirements other than to be physically qualified. And, since there are far more wanting “Air” than slots available, some do not get it. And, from what I hear, during the Class of 10’s selection, class ranking was not strictly honored in this regard.</p>
<p>In my day, class ranking ruled supreme! It was very rare for somebody to get their 2nd choice. In fact, off hand, I don’t know anybody who did not get exactly what they asked for. The only exception is that there were some who wanted to go “Nuke Power” who didn’t get it. But they knew, going in, that their grades were likely to shoot them down. It didn’t come as a surprise to them.</p>
<p>This past service selection, there were some getting “NFO” with a higher class ranking while lower-ranked classmates were doing the endzone dance in the P-way after having got their pilot slot.</p>
<p>When did service selection ever become a spin of the roulette wheel?</p>
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<p>unfortuntely, that is not the case. First cuts: GPA and MCAT. They will factor in your major. After that, “USNA GRAD” may raise an eyebrow. Maybe. Different world.</p>
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<p>thus, my point.
what would be telling is how many go into USNA seeking med-school, and how many come out the end having obtained that. I would venture to say the self-selection process takes its toll on the final percentage- not that it doesn’t happen at every other undergrad program, but the odds of it happening at USNA are, IMO, that much greater for all the reasons mentioned.</p>
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<p>frat parties aside, there are plenty of mids nursing hangovers come Sunday mornings- as all need to be back on the yard come 1800 sunday night, the hangovers have just been moved up a day. Peaceful environment- secondary, optional and conditional. I know plenty that travel from 7th and 8th wing to Nimitz to find it. Then again, standing watch on a weekend- plenty of quiet time to expand one’s cranium. ;)</p>
<p>aside from ALL that has been posted, I make a motion to put this topic to rest. I believe many perspectives have been offered to allow those considering USNA as a route to medical school plenty [and then some] to think about.</p>
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<p>Agreed. It was a good discussion and I learned some things in the process. Good input from different perspectives.</p>
<p>One thing I learned - if you want to be a military doctor, West Point is probably the better of the academies to attend.</p>
<p>If you are accepted to med school and agree to serve for an extra 10 years the navy will pay for it. Also most med-schools accept engineering majors; we just heard a presentation about it in school.</p>
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We finally agree wholeheartedly on something. For candidates set on both a SA and military medicine, I always suggest they also examine closely the Army and West Point.</p>
<p>Or you could go to the source:</p>
<p>[Health</a> Care: Careers & Jobs: Navy](<a href=“http://www.navy.com/careers/healthcare/]Health”>Find Careers in the U.S. Navy | Navy.com)</p>
<p>for factual information.</p>
<p>Or “chat” w/ navy healthcare professionals:</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.facebook.com/NavyHealthcare[/url]”>http://www.facebook.com/NavyHealthcare</a></p>
<p>But the true and succinct answer to the question posed is that “yes” there are opportunities to become a Navy doctor availalbe through the Academy. Approximately 25 slots are available each year to attend medical school.</p>
<p>Knowing I made a “motion” to “cease and desist,” another thought came to me that I thought important to factor in.</p>
<p>It centers on “control.”</p>
<p>One of the biggest differences between military academies and civilian schools is that you march to their drum, not your own.</p>
<p>What does that mean- in light of “med school”
<ol>
<li><p>Based on the above, it is feasible to extend your coursework over a 5-year plan at civilian schools, thus allowing one the opportunity to focus on grades at any particular time.
At USNA you are on the 4-year plan, no exceptions [make that VERY RARE exceptions, and where exceptions are made, it is for one semester]. If you are not a blue-chip athlete playing football, you can forget the exception.</p></li>
<li><p>At civilian schools, fail a course- repeat a course.
At USNA, fail a course- you will, in most cases, be allowed to repeat the course- during the very next semester; this pushes, however, your required course to your free summer block [see #1]
example: fail chem I fall of plebe year, repeat in Spring of Plebe year…[absolutely a must to pass on second go around]… Chem II, scheduled for spring of plebe year now gets pushed back to free summer block.
You cannot fall behind your schedule by more than 2 courses at any given time- remember, you are on the 4 year plan.</p></li>
<li><p>Academics.
USNA: Fail more than 2 courses [or as the years go on, 2 courses during any given semester] and you will go before the academic board and considered for separation. You may even go before the board with an F and a D in the same semester. No such thing as an incomplete, although you can drop a class if it is early enough in the semester [with the full understanding you have now just lost your free summer block, because the credits have to be made up somewhere]
Civilian school: drop, incomplete- all allowed. F’s and D’s- you can skate by [usually] as long as you maintain minimum GPA…but heck, if you are headed there, then opt for the incomplete or withdraw and retake- on your timetable.</p></li>
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True. That has been acknowledged. There are, indeed, a LIMITED number of slots available.<br>
But the odds of getting one from USNA are less than the odds of getting med-school from civilian schools.</p>
<p>So full circle-
IF your heart is dead-set on medical school, the odds clearly favor the civilian route- with ROTC if you wish.
IF your heart is dead-set on becoming an officer in the Navy or Marine Corps, go to USNA, and consider medical school secondary [it is- the primary mission is officer], optional-hopefully, and DEFINATELY conditional.</p>
<p>Since everyone knows how hard it is to enter the medical corps, we can rest the arguement. USNA midshipmen have attended medical school immediately after graduation, so it can be done. The bottom line the option is exists. If the Navydoes not want the option available, they will remove it. If someone wants to try, let them, and just wish them good luck.</p>
<p>And as noted way back when in this thread …the chances are 100%, if the candidates graduate, they’ll be USN, USMC officers or some lesser brand like USAFA, USCGA. :eek:</p>
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<p>Isn’t a Navy doctor also a USN officer? :)</p>
<p>One thing I recently learned is that they do not give promotions while in medical school. When you graduate as an Ensign, 4 years later, just prior to finishing med school, you’ll still be an Ensign. When you graduate - you’re Lieutenant! Voila!</p>
<p>That way you can tell everybody, “I was so good that I skipped LTjg.”</p>
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of course. And?
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I think you are making a mountain out of a mole hill. In your day, class rank did not rule supreme. There was the AQT/FAR. And there still is. I think it has a new name though. In your day, there were no study guides. There are now. No reason except arrogance or laziness not to do well on it but some don’t. They are the very few NFOs who have lower ranked pilots dancing circles around them. You never had a board. They do now. Probably very minimal influence but enough to move one or two up at the bottom and move one or two down from the top. Again, laziness or arrogance. If one does not give the board it’s proper respect, they do not deserve to be an aviator. And yes, there are those in the bottom 20% of the class who might not have an opportunity to select aviator. How many of the bottom 20% really submitted 100% effort while there? With eye surgery, if you want to be an aviator, you can.</p>
<p>Haven’t posted on here in ages, but as a parent of a Mid selected for Med School, this thread intrigued me. I just want to THANK everyone who posted for taking the time to present so much good information & food for thought for candidates who are interested in the Med School route. There was so little info available when DS accepted his appointment. He knew Med School was his goal, but he also knew the odds were extremely slim. He was just going to do his best & if it didn’t work out, he had decided that he would be okay with that. In fact, I think he spent the last 4 years assuming that it wouldn’t happen.</p>
<p>It seems the main thing to understand going in is that you have to want to be a Naval Officer first & foremost. If you can be happy serving in the Navy w/out being a doctor, then go for it - nothing ventured, nothing gained - you win either way!</p>
<p>The Naval Academy is for training Naval Officers - if SERVING in the Navy or Marine Corps is not your PRIMARY goal, then your best choice is to go to a civilian school.</p>
<p>Best put above. Not to keep this thread alive since the question had already been answered several times but my Chemistry teacher told me.</p>
<p>“I’ve never seen anyone who would’ve made it at med school not succeed in getting a medical corps spot at the academy. It just so happens this usally turns out to be around 11 midshipmen.”</p>
<p>That being said…read the above post again. Thats the main thing.</p>
<p>From what I’ve heard, there really is no HARD Medical Corps quota. As has already been mentioned, the combined impact of 1) few come to the academy aspiring to the Medical Corps in the first place, and 2) some do not have the grades to reasonably pursue it, and 3) some do not get accepted into medical school - those remaining are usually well within the academy’s allowance. Again - you’re just competing against yourself. You can either jump the hurdles or you can’t.</p>
<p>There were 15 in '09. Anyone heard about this year’s class #?</p>
<p>The class of 2010 had only 10 go Med Corps, despite the fact that the academy catalog advertises 25 spots.</p>